Video

Look no further than to Wal-Mart when you need your next checkup, physical exam or other medical test. You see, cloud-based video collaboration tech has allowed Dr. Raj Shah of Telemed Ventures to set up shop in Wal-Mart and he plans on expanding his practice virtually to more of these stores to serve rural customers.

As the video above shows, a nurse takes some vital readings like weight, height, temperature, blood pressure and an EKG reading when appropriate.

Telemedicine has been around for many years but it is possible this new move in the US will help the concept gain more traction in the third-world as well.

Cable companies having come together to share their WiFi networks in order to compete somewhat with 3G and 4G networks are also looking at another competitive threats such as OTT video such as YouTube, Hulu, Netflix and any other alternative way consumers can get access to video content.

Yesterday, Cablevision started to promote via an email their TV to GO service which allows customers to watch TV outside their home – as long as they have the Cablevision Optimum Online user name and password.

If you use multiple monitors you have no doubt noticed it can get annoying to have to go back and forth between them to access specific functions like the Start menu. Well, it seems people at Microsoft too have noticed there is a productivity hit to having to move your mouse back and forth across potentially huge screens.

And a result Microsoft has released its multi-monitor improvements in its Windows 8 Release Preview and the good news is you can access essential Windows functions on all the monitors connected to a system. This is great news not only for users who have multiple monitors of the same size but for those who are accessing a display on a projector or a large screen TV.

In case you missed Interop 2012 in Las Vegas and even if you were there – I have some really good news for you. TMC was there and we shot about seven hours of the most important and engaging interviews possible. We have all the companies you need to know about in spaces such as private and public cloud to big data, analytics, network testing and more. We spoke with the small upstarts and the giants like HP, Cisco and IBM.

What happens when you sit at the intersection of cloud, HTML5 and video - especially when tablets and high-resolution smartphones are being sold by the hundreds of millions? The answer is - if you are Brightcove, that your sales grow rapidly. In fact the company just announced earnings of $19.9 million which is up 53% YoY. Sure, this isn't a huge number but the percentage is obviously intriguing.

Moreover, gross profit for the first quarter was up 56% at $13.6 million.

Update: the Optimum app for Android does not allow live TV viewing but allows you to manage your DVR and check TV listings. The company says this functionality "is coming." Moreover - the app will only work on laptops - not PCs with external monitors. Is it too late to ask for a do over on this post?

Having been on Android and iOS for quite some time (see my review from last April), Cablevision's Optimum TV viewers can now also watch TV on their PCs, Macs and laptops. This could be important to power users who have tricked out monitors of 24" or perhaps even greater.

The fact that Microsoft would want to integrate Skype everywhere shouldn't be too surprising, Office/Lync and Windows Phone are obvious areas and so is Xbox. That's why news of the company looking for engineers who can delve into the hybrid world of video games and IP communications shouldn't be too surprising.

When Microsoft integrates Skype into Xbox and bundles some free calling into the solution, what's to stop them from offering a DECT phone as well? With retail prices of DECT 6.0 phones starting at less than $20, the idea makes more and more sense.

Sure, you can use a cordless/wireless phone with Skype today but if Microsoft integrates it all seamlessly and video is added for free, what happens to the business models of Ooma, netTALK and magicJack?

And what about the cable companies, AT&T and Verizon? Sure, a Skype home phone calling solution will be inferior as it doesn't allow emergency calling due to a lack of E-911 support but still, if it is part of a bundle and has HD voice support, why pay for phone company or cable calling? Especially if it has video as well and other great Skype calling features, presence, etc.

Additionally, a benefit of the Skype purchase will be potentially becoming the phone provider for hundreds of millions of consumers.

For over 20 years I’ve been tracking Unimax a company that has been the only pure-play moves/adds/changes solutions provider to large enterprises around the globe. Andrew Hunkins was the founder/CTO/CEO throughout the years and my most memorable meetings with him were at the Harry Newton/CMP Computer Telephony EXPOs also known as CTEXPO in Los Angeles, California. A huge accomplishment for the company Hunkins founded was lasting – it’s been around since 1985!! This is a big deal.

A major cost to carriers the CAPEX and OPEX associated with network monitoring and test equipment. Andy Huckridge of VSS Monitoring explains carriers spend up to $300,000 dollars on this test equipment and yet they only use the devices at about 20% of their capability. And he should know as he used to work at Spirent where I have met with him over the years at shows like Supercomm, VON and TMC’s ITEXPO (Disclosure: I am the CEO of TMC).

According to Huckridge the solution to skyrocketing costs on tools entrusted with keeping the network purring like a fine Italian sports car (my words not his – but you get the idea) is a layer of intelligence to provide scalable visibility and control of traffic capture.